What is the Purpose And Point of a Pergola? Pergolas vs Gazebos

What Is a Pergola and How Does It Differ From an Arbor? If you’ve ever seen a backyard structure that looks like a cross between a gazebo and an arbor, it’s likely a pergola. These increasingly popular outdoor living spaces serve several purposes. Read on to learn Click here to find out more more about pergolas and the many purposes they serve. Unlike an arch-topped arbor or a gazebo (a stand-alone structure with a solid roof), a pergola is an outdoor structure made of posts, support beams, and rafters. A pergola roof is usually open, but it can be covered with lattice, panels, or vining plants, depending on your preference.

Right now, outdoor living is becoming increasingly popular, which puts pergolas and other comfortable outdoor additions high on the list for adding value to your home.Purchasing a pre-made aluminum pergola kit can be a practical and economical choice, as it removes the necessity of creating and constructing a personalized framework.Today’s energy-efficient space heaters warm individual rooms, so users needn’t heat unoccupied areas of the house.

Regular Cleaning And Maintenance To Ensure Longevity

Regular maintenance involves cleaning, inspecting for damage, and applying a fresh coat of paint or stain when necessary. It’s possible to include softer rather than hard lines overhead, something that may work perfectly with the style of your home. Doing so makes it easy to partially open or close the sides if you like. This design works incredibly well if you want to control the breeze entering the structure or set up a candlelight dinner and still have a little privacy. Pergolas help carve out dedicated spaces for different functions like lounging, dining, or play areas. Their overhead coverage signals the transition from one defined zone to another. Hiring a pro to build a pergola is recommended, but you can save money by tackling the project yourself if you’re an experienced builder. Find pergola plans and/or DIY pergola kits online or at a hardware store to get started. Pergolas come in various styles and materials, allowing you to select one that matches your home's current architecture, resulting in a seamless and balanced appearance. By now, you can probably see what the difference is between a pergola and a gazebo. Arbors look similar to pergolas in several ways, but they serve different purposes. There are generally no walls, curtains, or netting surrounding a pergola; this is usually left to gazebos, solariums, and tents, to keep us fully separated from the elements. Still, there is some protection offered by the lattice or the open roof of the pergola itself, but there is usually plenty of sun coming in. A pergola adds visual interest, shade, and a defined space for outdoor activities like dining or lounging.

The Share of New Homes With This Sought-After Outdoor Feature Continues to Climb

These structures hide just enough of the sun without completely covering it, making them an outdoor essential. If you’d like to add a hint of more exclusivity to your space, consider adding a privacy wall to your pergola for extra seclusion from the rest of the yard. The open top can easily be more covered up by using a shaded canopy that glides back and forth effortlessly across a track system attached to your pergola. Additionally, mechanical pergolas can be another option, which allows for the motorized louvers to move back and forth for easy sunlight/shade adjustment. Promenade pergolas are usually much larger than standard pergolas, and they often have decorative features such as latticework or carvings. Promenade pergolas can be made from a variety of materials, including wood, metal, and stone. Pergolas, arbors, trellises, and latticework are all traditionally used to support vines. A trellis is a portable wood, metal, or vinyl framework to support vines and climbing rose bushes. This works exceptionally well with a rectangular shape since it’s possible to mount the louvered doors in shutter fashion along the longer sides. They can also be used to create a vine-covered passage leading to some other element of the landscape, including a gazebo. Pergolas can also serve another purpose such as sitting areas, passages to other garden areas, or a shaded place to walk. Even a pergola made out of the toughest material will fade with time. The sun beating down, the rain pounding it, and weather, in general, will eventually wear it down. If you keep on top of proper maintenance, you can put this off for years, but nothing lasts forever. Wooden pergolas require the most, usually in the form of resealing, re-painting, and general cleaning. Pergolas made of other materials, like composite, aluminum, fiberglass, or vinyl may require regular cleaning and occasional resealing. If you only have limited gardening space, or you simply want to try your hand at growing some new plants, pergolas can help. Pergolas are designed to provide shade and partial sun protection, but they do not provide complete protection from rain or wind, and furniture and items underneath can easily get wet. Strong winds can make the space uncomfortable to use, lift curtains or loose objects, and can cause the structure itself to be unstable. By adding a pergola next to your house or as a patio extension, you can complement your home. It’s almost an outdoor extension of your home’s space, even if it’s not quite an enclosed structure. A pergola in the right place can also provide shade for your home’s windows, bringing down your heating bill a bit during the summer months.